Moment of weakness
by Cheeky-eyes
Summary: She couldn't look at him, he had caused this! It was his fault! He couldn't look at her, he was too guilty. He should've known better. Persevereshipping. Based on the Duelist manga volumes 9 and 10. An account of the game store fire from different POVs.


She looked at him with utter loathing and disgust

Hello all. It's amazing really. I'm still in Compy's pairing challenge. And this fic is the result of round six. The pairing? Persevereshipping. That means Duke X Tea. Or, since I will be using Japanese names, Ryuji X Anzu.

And this is based directly on the manga. Duelist volumes 9 and 10 to be precise. Yes I already have a one shot for the fire, but that was the anime version. This one is for the manga. And since it is based on the manga, that is the reason for the Japanese names. It's my first time using them too, so, even though I doubt it, if I've slipped up with the names sorry. 

Anyway, without further ado, I give you 

**Moment of weakness.**

**xxx**

She looked at him with utter loathing and disgust.

The heat from the blaze seared her skin and the flames roared and crackled in her ears. That stupid clown had caused this! He shouldn't look as horrified as he does. His mouth open, eyes widen in shock. It was his fault! He had wanted revenge. He had been the one to instigate this. He had dueled him. He started the fire!

_What on earth gave him the right to do and think such things?_

_And Ryuji. While he wasn't to blame _exactly,_ he wasn't entirely blameless either. She couldn't look at him either. After all, he was the one who manipulated Jonouchi and forced Yugi to duel under such circumstances. _

_And most importantly it wasn't over, not yet! There were still _two_ people in there! Two of her best friends._

_She could never look at him the same again! _

_The sound of urgency rang clear in her mind. There was nothing they could do but wait. Why had she left them in there? If something happened. _

_She let that thought trail off, not bearing to think of the consequences it brought. _

_There were firemen were all around them; did they know they were in there? Her face felt hot and she could feel the tears that were there being dried off her face. Faintly she could hear Ryuji's voice, belittling his father and his plans for revenge. But she didn't have the heart to feel sorry for him, she almost felt hate towards him. The crack and moan of the blazing building reached her ears as her worry grew. _

_So why was she gravitating towards him?_

**xxx**

**Yesterday.**

It was a bright day, as summer days usually are. The start of a new school year, or at least a new grade. 'I just hope we're done with creepy magic and the like for now.' She thought off handly as they approached the game store.

"Good morning Mr. Mutou," cheerily she greeted the old man. He smiled in acknowledgement and called his Grandson down. Two minutes later he was down with the puzzle on a new chain.

"Good morning Yugi," she greeted again. He smiled as they set off in the direction of Mr. Motou's misery, the new game store. What she said was true. It was a relief to see the old man alive. But as Yugi dragged her away from the store towards the new one she was a bit stunned. There was something wrong, and not just with the old mans business.

There was already a small crowd outside the store complete with a clown giving out balloons.

"D-D-M, what do you suppose that stands for?" Yugi mused aloud beside her as they got out the front of the said store, looking at a sign.

"I have no idea," Anzu said as she stepped away from the creepy looking clown who was heading towards her.

"Balloon?" he offered, a look of malice on his face. Anzu was only slightly put off by the mask, and aura.

"No thanks, I don't need a balloon." They were going be late for school anyway. She sighed as she dragged a reluctant Yugi away from the store. They would be back the next day anyway.

**xxx**

Ryuji Otogi walked out of the new store with confidence. Tomorrow was the day and he was ready for it. His father was busy scaring small (and big) children outside the shop with the guise of balloons. He was offering a girl a balloon, who was looking slightly creped out. He didn't necessarily blame her. Next to the girl however was the object of his rivalry, Yugi Mutou. All his life his father had told him of the Mutou family and how they were to be defeated at all costs! To pay for their sufferings. What he wasn't too sure off though was _how_ that fateful game came to be. But it didn't really matter, he deducted. All that did was that it had happened and there were dues to be paid. After all, it was Sugoroku's fault his father had to wear that mask, that his father was as bitter as he was.

But as late as Anzu and Yugi were, so was he so he left his father standing there with promises of the sweet revenge they would have on the morrow.

He wasn't sure why, but something about it was odd. Just, off. He just shrugged it off as he entered Domino High.

**xxx**

It wasn't until much later on that she would concede he wasn't _really_ cheating that day. That all in all it had been a clever move, and an excellent read of his opponent.

Yes, even she knew it wasn't all _that_ hard to trick Jonouchi. And anyone could see it was impossible to get the dice out of the cup without touching the cup.

But what she still resented was his arrogance and the terms of the bet. That was just wrong. It was a wonder she could forgive him, but this was **much **later on, so she felt free to laugh.

Back then however she had been seething. Inside of course. She did have some decorum to maintain after all. Some form of reputation. But Yugi did get him back for his shell games, with a fair game of his own.

She would always wonder how one could be so lucky all the time.

It wasn't the fact that he had won that got them all so annoyed, it was the obnoxious way he acted that set them all off. So arrogant, so cocky and just so annoying! He didn't really have any right to do that to Jonouchi, not really. Though he did get a little bit of credit for backing down after Yugi defeated him, if it weren't for the smug attitude it would have been a lot more.

**xxx**

The next day dawned bright and fair again. It was almost a stark contrast to what was to come.

She was waiting in line, just like everyone else. The only reason she could fairly justify letting Jonouchi cut was that she wasn't buying any of the game herself. She was thankful of that too when the store officially opened. The rush to get in was terrific, and quickly they all got separated.

That was the last time she saw Yugi conscience that day.

As the boys, and Mr. Mutou rushed in she waited outside. A line reformed as a large group of people was barred from going in, yes it was that crowded. After ten minutes everyone was back, except for Yugi. They weren't too worried though; it was plausible that he was still waiting n line. After half an hour had passed though, she started to get worried. No one else seemed to be though. So she let it slide. It was slightly suspicious however when not even the guards knew where he was. They hadn't seen him _at all_. There was something not right about their smug expressions.

Mr. Mutou wasn't worried as he offered for them to wait at their place, since Yugi _did_ know how to get home. It was just down the street after all.

It wasn't until Honda showed up hours later that her suspicions were confirmed. As funny as it was to watch Jonouchi freak out around his dog, the barking apparently wasn't normal, even around Jonouchi. To make things worse, Bakura had the ring again, it hadn't been seen since Duelist Kingdom. Anzu was officially freaking out now.

If the situation wasn't odd enough already, the crowded game store was empty. Completely, as in absolutely no one around. Except for two unconscious guards. And that was all for the first level.

It was up on the second level that they found Bakura. And Ryuji. Standing in front of a smoking door.

She _really_ hoped Yugi wasn't behind it. She glared at Ryuji. No such luck. Honda and Jonouchi snapped into action immediately however. Bashing down the door when Yugi answered their call from the other side. In reality it didn't take them long to bash the flaming door down, but to her it took an eternity. It was a relief when it crashed to the ground. That relief was short lived however, as Yugi refused to leave until the puzzle was finished.

It was the smoke, it had it be!

Sure enough however, the puzzle was incomplete. And no amount of pleading was getting him to move. Jonouchi yelled at them to get out, that he would stay.

They weren't really going to stay there, were they?

**xxx**

This was bad. Really, really bad. It had only started out as a game. As a form of revenge. It was never intended for anyone to be in real danger! Never. But somehow it had turned incredibly sour.

The duel hadn't gone as his Father wanted it too. Yugi was just too good. It wasn't until his Father locked him out of the other room that things started to get bad, and then worse when smoke started to pour out of the room. If Yugi's friends hadn't turned up when they did Ryuji didn't know what he would have done. Not even worrying about where they had come from.

This all lead to his current position. Outside his game store as it burnt to the ground. He was barely paying any attention to the thick smoke and the heat of the flames, he was too shocked, two people were still inside. He turned to his father. Bitterly he asked if he was happy. Did he want his revenge to turn out like this?

A fireman was heard saying the building was going. A chocked gasp came from his left side. Where _they _were standing. He couldn't look at them. He kept his head down. It was still down there when a triumphant Jonouchi staggered out of the building holding Yugi. It was his fault, he couldn't look.

**xxx**

He sighed dejectedly. The calm murmur of the hospital waiting room was deceiving. It did not in any way shape or form mask the worry of its occupants. One couple was waiting news of their father and father-in-law whom had had a heart attack. It had been sudden.

There was a family of three who were sitting there while the youngest member of their family was undergoing an operation of some kind; their mother had developed a nervous tick.

A group of construction men were sitting there while a friend of theirs was having a bone reset. It had looked painful sticking out like it had been.

Of course there was himself, his father had some minor burns over his back from where his costume had caught alight. It seemed that Yugi was the hero there.

In his opinion however, the most tension was coming from the last group in the waiting room. There was the old man, the object of hate all his life. Even now he found it hard to shake off. With him was a small group his own age. A sturdy young man whose name he still didn't know. The blonde, who he had selfishly challenged yesterday so callously. The same blonde who had so selflessly stayed behind in the burning building to save his friend. Another hero of the day. And of course the girl. He hadn't spoken to her much either. But she seemed nice.

And that was all his guilt-ridden mind could come up with to describe the scene. But they did seem the most tense there. The missing member of their group had been unconscious when he came in. And now they could only wait. There were no words between them, but they all knew what the other was thinking.

He felt responsible, guilty even. There was plenty of guilt for a variety of reasons. True, he hadn't set the fire ablaze himself; it seemed to be an accident according to his father. But he had dragged Yugi into it. He could have stopped it somehow. He was sure of it. And he had treated them all so badly. He couldn't bring himself to look at them.

He felt like he should have known better.

She was sitting there. Still, so still. As oppose to Jonouchi who was pacing to and fro for all he was worth. There were no more tears; they would come back later, when she didn't have to be strong. When she didn't have to pretend. Jonouchi had come over to them all bandaged up no less the ten minutes ago, he fortunately seemed fine. Minor injuries only. He was lucky.

Yugi, not so much.

She didn't know if he was still unconscious or not. And according to the paramedics that may or may not be a good thing. For one thing it was going to hurt like hell when he came too, and inhaling that much smoke could not under any circumstance be a good thing.

This was the puzzles fault! If it weren't for that Yugi wouldn't have stayed behind. Hell he wouldn't be in any of this if he didn't have it Anzu reasoned. A tear slid down her face.

But he wouldn't be here either would he? A voice deep inside her reasoned back.

Another tear slid down as a nurse called them over.

**xxx**

They were the only two left in the room. Well the only two left that mattered. He wasn't looking at her. She wasn't sure why she was.

"I'm sorry," he muttered. Despite all he cockiness and male bravado he couldn't hide the guilt he felt at this moment. He had been an indirect cause of her worry, and couldn't really face her. It was a new thing for him; hell he even had a fan club. Technically he could have anyone he wanted. He was a heartthrob and he knew it.

She didn't have anything to say to this sudden apology. She wasn't all that sure why she was still here, facing him when she needed to be somewhere more important. Deep in her heart she knew she loved another. He meant nothing, didn't he?

They were close to one another, so close they could feel the others breath on their faces. She needed comfort, so much had happened in a short while, and he needed forgiveness. But would she enjoy it from him? In the spur of the moment he chanced it. His lips brushing against hers softly. It was a moment of weakness, from both parties. As they broke apart he took a look at her face.

"I'm sorry," he said again with regret as he turned to leave. She was unable to look at him.

"I have to go," she said with a faltering voice. With tears in her eyes she turned away and left him standing there as a nurse came up to him.

Neither of them were ever going to mention it ever again. There was no need to. It was only the result of a moment of weakness after all.


End file.
